Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sleeping Beauty asleep among all her many animals! Sydney is very peculiar about the places of all her many animals on her bed in fact she only makes her self a very small area to sleep. Every morning when she gets up she makes sure to fix her bed (or to fix all her animals back in their spot).

This year starts 1st grade for us and big changes at school as there are many more expectations than when in Kindergarten. We went to open house to meet Sydney's teacher and I had alot of apprehension because Kindergarten was a really tough year because Sydney and Mrs. Phipps (kindergarten teacher) just did not mix....she was extremely strict and Sydney had begun to hate school. So I was praying for someone that could understand my little social butterfly and help her to once again love school because she is definitely too smart to not like school. We we were looking to find her class and I found that she was in Mrs. Collier's class....I was ecstatic, in fact I did a big YES! in the hallway that she saw but I knew that we were going to have an awesome 1st grade year! With me being on the PTA at school this year the first day was very busy because we were feeding the teachers and I had to go pick up the breakfast and get it ready on top of getting Sydney all ready for her 1st day of school! She was so ready to go and meet her friends that she had not seen all summer and even thought some of her closest friends were in different classes she was very happy to see Jason Acosta was in her class again this year. ( I think she kinda likes him)! I took her to class helped her get all settled in and then left, but it was very sad because I begin to see how quickly she is growing up and it definitely makes me sad!When I picked her up in the carpool line I was at the front of the line because I was so ready to get her picked up and her all about her day....I had missed her so much all day! When they called my number and I got to my cone to pick Sydney up there was no Sydney and I was worried to say the least....everyone was calling for Sydney and asking teachers if they had seen her but no Sydney and then I saw a teacher come running up the sidewalk holding Sydney's hand and I could see the fear on her face because she had gotten lost. When she got in the car she was so upset because she said she didn't her Mrs. Collier say which line was for carpool and she had gotten in the bus line. But when we got home and she calmed down....she said she loved her teacher and had a great day at school and was ready to do it again tomorrow!

My precious little 1st grader!

OK Mommy, I am ready to do this!

She was very excited about her kitty book bag....we have a lunch box that matches but this girl loves to eat in the cafeteria!

Finding her hanger in the closet to hang her book bag.

She is ready to get to work!

Sydney and her 1st grade teacher Mrs. Collier! We love her!!!!

Home at last from the 1st day of school.....and she is all smiles and so is Mommy!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

For our vacation this summer Sydney and I joined a friend of mine from work, Jennie and her son Samuel and her nieces and nephews. We had alot of exciting events planned for the week, but the major two were the Georgia Aquarium and the Atlanta Zoo. Sydney and I left home around 3am in hopes of arriving at the Zoo around 10am. We got to the Zoo and we could not have asked for more perfect weather. We spent the day at the zoo walking and visiting each exhibit and even making time to visit some of the animal feedings. The zoo was not as large as you might would expect for such a large city but it was perfect because it was basically in a circle so we started at the beginning and made our way around the entire place. Sydney also rode the merry-go-round and train at the zoo. Our favorite animals were the Panda Bears and the Gorillas. After the zoo we made our way to the hotel and unpacked because we were all exhausted from the drive. The kids played in the pool and then we headed out to get dinner and come back to relax. Sydney and I love hotels.....just laying in the bed watching tv and ordering room service is really all the vacation we need! Our 2nd day was going to consist of a visit to the Aquarium and the Coca-Cola Museum. Atlanta is a very big city with lots of traffic but I love it! Jennie how ever did not like the traffic so she wanted to use the transportation system to travel so we started our morning off with our Subway experience. We were very fortunate that the subway stop was a block from our hotel so we took off to try to figure our way to the aquarium. I got some directions from the hotel staff but I had us on the wrong side of the track going south instead of north so we had to run up the steps to make it to the other side in time to make our train....well Sydney and I were not as quick as Jennie and her crew and just as Sydney and I were running down the steps to make the subway the doors closed and our group got separated. Well Sydney and I to say the least were very upset! I assured her it was not her fault and we waited for the next train and met up with them at the aquarium stop. As we were walking from the subway to the aquarium, a gentleman on the street stopped us and asked if we were visiting and if we would like to go to a NFL game that evening. Well of course how could we say NO?? So that was going to be our plan for the evening. The kids loved the aquarium. We were able to see whale sharks and large sting rays, they had some touch tanks with shrimp and star fish. They also had some areas were you would stand on a moving belt and ride while there were fish tanks on each side of you and overhead....We spent the majority of the day at the aquarium and then headed across the street to the Coca-Cola Museum. At the museum I am pretty sure everyone favorite was the test room. They had about 100 different types of soda products that you could sample from all over the world...I think Sydney was in heaven, she just ran from from fountain to fountain with her cup. After touring the Coca-Cola Museum we took a taxi back to the hotel because we were all exhausted and very tired from all the walking we had done that day. After relaxing at the hotel and the kids swimming in the pool to relax, we all got ready to head out to the Falcons game. We grabbed dinner at Subway and then took a taxi to the Georgia Dome to see the Falcons play. I am no sports fan but I wanted Sydney to at least experience and NFL game, and it was my first as well. We had great tickets except they were up very high in the stands, but Sydney loved watching the cheerleaders and cheering on the team using the cheers she had been learning at her cheer practices. In fact one girl in front of us asked her if she was a cheerleader and Sydney said yes but she wanted to wear a cheer outfit like those girls were wearing that showed her belly and she wanted a tattoo...Oh I think I am going to have my hands full!!! After the game we took the subway back to the hotel and went to bed because it was very late and Sydney and I had a big day planned at Stone Mountain and our friends were driving back home.

The next morning Sydney and I got up and checked out of our hotel and drove to Stone Mountain. This place was absolutely beautiful!! Sydney loved to lift that took you to the top of the mountain....we rode it 3times and the first time we had the best operator because she had everyone rock the car when we got to the top of the mountain and Syd thought this was hilarious. She didn't want to go out on the rock and look down the mountain, so after the lift we toured the museum and learned a little history about the mountain and also rode some rides and toured the plantation. I think other than the lift Sydney's next favorite thing at Stone Mountain was The duck ride....it is a WWII vehicle that goes on land and water. And when we got ready to go into the lake, the lady floored it and we splashed into the lake. Sydney also had a blast driving the truck. After our day was over at Stone Mountain we headed tour hotel because the weather for the rest of the day was full of thunderstorms and pouring rain. The next day we headed home but remembering what a great time we had and hope to be able to go back to visit Atlanta again someday! Here are LOTS of pictures from our trip...

Sydney striking a pose at the Atlanta Zoo...

Hop-a-long Kangaroo.....

Taking a spin on the Merry-go-round

Sunshine Bear......

One of our favorite exhibits at the museum was the Panda Bears.....They were gorgeous, only one of the few zoos in all of the USA that has panda bears.

We enjoyed watching the Orangutan play on the ropes....

Playing in the underground worm slide....Peek-a-boo.....

We enjoyed watching the gorilla feeding, they would throw oranges and these sticks out to the gorillas and they would wait for them and eat them....I really thought the gorillas were amazing!

Getting ready to board her 1st subway,......i don't think she looks very excited....she was still a little upset about getting separated from our friends....

There is that beautiful smile!

All of the kids outside the hotel after dinner at a very interesting restaurant.....we didn't realize that the section of town we were staying in was where many homosexuals dine and we saw many at our Mexican restaurant.....I will have to research that better next time!

The diva about to hit the town!!!

The Georgia Aquarium.....Largest Aquarium in the world.....

Sydney and Samuel....

Now that was some serious fun....Which way to do it again????!!!!

Sydney loves touch tanks.....I am not sure if she loves touching the animals more or playing in the water....

OOOHHHHHH Scary Alligator!!!

The huge Whale Shark.....The Georgia Aquarium is the only aquarium to have these in the whole United States....the only other place you will find these is in Japan. And these animals were huge!

Everyone needs to take a little break....and what better place than in the window of the fish tank!

Outside of the Coca-Cola Museum at the statue fo the maker of Coke.

The world famous testing room....And believe me this girl tried everyone soda in this entire room!

With her little bear......We came home with so many stuffed animals because that was the souveniur that she wanted at each place we went.

Sydney getting out of the taxi that we took to the NFL Falcons game.....it was her 1st taxi ride!

This lady was dressed up as a falcon walking around the stands....so of course I needed a picture!

Getting ready to go into the Georgia Dome.....(some of these pictures are abit out of order).

Sydney and her Falcon!

Atlanta Falcons vs. NY Jets.......

Sydney and Falcon waiting to board the subway to go back to the hotel....

Sydney and Samuel loved playing in the revolving doors at the hotel.

Downtown Atlanta on a very rainy day!

Sydney and I at Hard Rock Cafe....

Stone Mountain....

Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis

This is as far out on the Stone Sydney would venture.....

Quack.....Quack....Getting ready to ride the Duck ride!

How excited does she look to be driving!

The petting zoo at the Antebellum plantation at Stone mountain.

In front of one of the plantation homes at the Antebellum Plantation.

Getting ready to take the Skyride up to the top of the mountain.

Back home to good ole' North Carolina.....After passing thru 3states (NC, SC, and GA).....it felt good to be hoome but we had such a wonderful time....Now time to get ready to start 1st grade!

Born 3-2-2004. I am in kindergarten at Bunn Elementary School....I loves to dance, sing, play with my dolls, chicken nuggets and fish sticks are my favorite foods. My favorite color is pink and my favorite tv show is icarly, scooby doo and max and ruby. I loves to draw and color and play outside but I don't like the heat....I really like a fall day, not to cold though.

My name is Renee and I am the single mom to the greatest little girl in the world, she is basically a "mini me". I work full-time as a NICU nurse at Duke, and I love my job. On my days off, all I want to do is spend all my time with my girl. We share so many wonderful adventures together. This whole ride has been a learning process, and I thankful to know an awesome God that has brought me here. We don't have an easy life, but it is our life, and I wouldn't have it any other way.